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Government reveals it's been paying for Harry and Meghan's security, but says that will soon stop

Author of the article:

Brian Platt

Publishing date:

February 27, 2020 • 2 minute read

In this file photo taken on October 15, 2019, Harry and Meghan attend the annual WellChild Awards in London.Photo by TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

OTTAWA — The federal government has revealed it’s been paying at least some security costs for Prince Harry and Meghan since November, but that will stop in a few weeks due to the couple dropping their royal titles.

Until now, the government — including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself — has repeatedly declined to clarify whether Canada was picking up the tab for Harry and Meghan’s security costs, as is typical when members of the royal family are in the country. The couple announced in January that they’re stepping away from royal duties and plan to live in Canada part time.

Distroscale

The RCMP has a protective policing unit that provides security when foreign dignitaries and other VIPs are visiting Canada on an official visit. Otherwise, the royal couple’s security is overseen by Britain’sMetropolitan Police Service.

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“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing to re-locate to Canada on a part-time basis presented our government with a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances,” said a statement on Thursday from Public Safety Minister Bill Blair’s Office.

“The RCMP has been engaged with officials in the U.K. from the very beginning regarding security considerations. As the Duke and Duchess are currently recognized as Internationally Protected Persons, Canada has an obligation to provide security assistance on an as needed basis.

“At the request of the Metropolitan Police, the RCMP has been providing assistance to the Met since the arrival of the Duke and Duchess to Canada intermittently since November 2019. The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status.”

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The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status

The couple caused a stir earlier this year when they announced they were essentially leaving the royal family to become private citizens. An arrangement announced in January said they would no longer use their royal titles, will not be working members of the royal family, and would be dividing their time between the United Kingdom and Canada. The new set-up takes effect on March 31.

The issue is a politically touchy one for the government, as the annual cost of Harry and Meghan’s security would have run into the millions of dollars. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation had collected more than 80,000 signatures for a petition arguing taxpayers shouldn’t have to support “the private lifestyle decisions of members of the royal family.”

“This is a tremendous victory for Canadian taxpayers and the Trudeau government for doing the right thing,” said CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick on Thursday. “Canadians were unequivocal that the Duke and Duchess are welcome here, but that they need to pay their own way.”

There are still outstanding questions about the couple’s plan to reside in Canada, including whether Britain will cover any further security costs, whether they will become Canadian citizens and whether they can legally earn an income by working here.